Happy Birthday, Naruto
by Taisi
Summary: How could they want to celebrate a day that so many others mourned? His existence didn't matter to most of the village: they wished his birth had never taken place in the first place...they would never celebrate it. And yet...


A/N: This is my October tenth tribute to Naruto. I honestly have nothing to say here other than "Happy birthday, Naruto-kun!"

Summary: How could they want to celebrate a day that so many others mourned? His existence didn't matter to most of the village: they wished his birth had never taken place in the first place...they would never celebrate it. And yet...[Oneshot

Happy Birthday, Naruto

He was not looking forward to meeting his team today; the very first thought that crossed his mind when he woke up that morning was a bitter one, cruelly reminding him of the history behind this day, of the family and friends he had lost. Nevertheless, he eventually managed to persuade himself into standing and stumbled across the room in a very un-ninja-like manner, tying his hitai-ate into its normal lopsided position over his left eye. After a quick (cold) breakfast, he glanced at the clock and read that he was about an hour late.

_Good, good, _and he slid open the window, letting the cold morning air drift around him, sending chills down his spine. After another second in which he embraced the bitter irony of the bitter wind (on a day that was showing amazing potential to be quite bitter as well), he leapt from his perch and into Konoha, from roof to roof until he came to the grassy training field he was to meet his team at.

"Yo," came his standard greeting.

_"You're late!" _came the standard response.

And he smiled, a gesture hidden behind the black cloth of his face mask, at the normalcy, something he could count on everyday without sudden change. So, keeping with the daily routine, he set them to training at once. They obliged, having been readying themselves upon his arrival, and turned to the targets, each taking aim with their shuriken. He sat back, watching them carefully from behind his book as he always did, when they thought he was simply emmersed in his readings.

Of course, Sasuke's work was flawless, his hands blurs as the weapons whistled from his fingers, hitting with deadly accuracy the target within the smallest ring. Sakura was keeping up well enough, stopping now and again to brush the back of her wrist over her glistening forehead, panting and gazing adoringly at her crush. Naruto, however, was gazing off in the vague direction of the academy, brilliant blue eyes confused and a little anxious, kunai idle in his hand.

Kakashi stood, making his way over to the blond and fixing him with a disapproving stare. "Chosing not to train today?" Looking closer at the boy, surprised at how he could possibly not have noticed before, Kakashi noticed his lack-of-orange outfit. He frowned inwardly, but said nothing, waiting for the dobe's reply.

Naruto looked scalded. "A-Ah, no," he said hastily, stricken. "I'm just--" A sudden poof and a cloud of smoke a few yards away announced the arrival of Umino Iruka, who smiled gently at them; Kakashi felt a bit of his irritation at the date in general ebb away upon seeing the kind-hearted Chuunin, and greeted him sincerely (though not uncasually), questioning his presence.

"I'm going to have to take Naruto off your hands for awhile," the dark-eyed man replied, "I'm afraid he won't be available today."

"And why's that?" Something flashed behind Iruka's eyes for an instant, and Kakashi found himself mentally berating his foolishness; he wasn't the only one who'd suffered losses that day. "Ah...Can I ask, though, why you're taking Naruto with you?" _Surely, surely you know how dangerous that is, Iruka, _Kakashi found himself thinking almost desperately. _The villagers won't take kindly to him being there, surely you know that._

"Because he's as good as family," the man said without hesitation, beckoning Naruto to him silently. The boy ducked forward, to the man's side at once, absolute trust and adoration shining in his soulfull eyes as he gazed up at the man that was as good as a father to him. And then his eyes flickered back to his team; and that pretty, fathomless blue dissapeared, a wall going up between him and the rest of the world. He couldn't explain why if he tried, but seeing that guarded uncertainty, that vague mistrust enter the boy's eyes when they fell on him made Kakashi feel a little hurt.

"Sorry, sensei," was all he said, before looking away; he and Iruka left after that.

Sasuke and Sakura, it seemed, couldn't sit still after that. Kakashi tried a few more times to get them to pay attention before sighing. "Alright, fine. Today's a freeby. Go do whatever." And Sakura leapt up with a cheer, while Sasuke sat quietly for a moment, before standing, and heading back in the direction of a large, empty estate he called "home".

"A-Ah..." All three of them turned around at the soft voice, surprised to find Hinata standing with her arms full of a brightly-wrapped parcel. "D-Do you know wh-where Naruto-k-kun went?"

"Hinata-chan," Sakura said, smiling, "hi! And you just missed him, he went with Iruka-sensei."

"Oh," the quiet girl said, looking momentarily crestfallen. And then she smiled. "Well, I'll give him his present later then..." And she turned to go.

"Present?" Kakashi asked before he could help it. The lavender-eyed kunoichi blinked, turning back around.

"...Is...It's his birthday today..." she said, sounding startled at them. "Didn't...didn't you know?" And then she blushed, realizing how rude she was being, and bowed hastily, apologizing profusely, before almost running away, leaving the fragmented Team Seven in a dead silence.

And then, in unison:

"Shit!"

---

"I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto," Iruka said as he walked the boy into his apartment. The blond looked around at the small, dark accomodations, and then nodded once.

"Thank you, Iruka-sensei," he said, glancing around at the man. "I'm really grateful that you let me see the memorial with you again this year. Even though I...I still want to honor the ninja who died..." His voice trailed off, a confused expression gracing his whisker-scarred face, and Iruka smiled.

"Goodnight," the Chuunin said as the blond flopped wearily onto his bed, not bothering to undress.

Naruto listened to him open the front door, and expected silence to soon follow the sound of a closing door. "Happy birthday to me..." he sang quietly to himself, hiding his face in his pillow, curling up on top of the blanket. "Happy birthday to me..."

"Happy birthday, Naruto!" several voices chorused out suddenly, the lights thrown on, thoroughly startling the Genin into scrambling into an upright position, groping blindly for a kunai. When his eyes adjusted to the change in lighting, he recognized all his comrades crowded into his small apartment, Sakura and Sasuke in the front holding a birthday cake inbetween them, Kiba an armful of presents, and Kakashi dropped a party hat onto Naruto's head.

"I've had weird dreams before," the group heard him mutter, "but this really takes the cake...heh, cake..."

"We heard it's your birthday today!" Ino sang, then somehow managed to look insulted. "I can't believe you didn't tell us!"

"Yeah," Kiba said loudly, sitting down on Naruto's right, and discarding the presents into his lap. "Gods, why would you keep it a secret?" Akamaru barked an agreement.

"...How can you be happy?" Naruto asked them, fisting his blanket, eyes twin seas of confusion. "Today...the day I was born, so many people died...How can you be happy? Who would want to celebrate a day like this?" His words, so unlike his normal (seemingly oblivious) self, silenced the ninja in the room quickly and efficiently. He continued bitterly, scuffing a sandal-shod toe on the floor, "There's nothing to be glad about today."

"Dobe," Sasuke said, breaking the spell with an eye-roll. He took the cake fully, stepping away from Sakura and sitting down on Naruto's other side, knocking a few of the gifts aside so he could set the plate there. "We're celebrating today because we're happy you were born." Naruto's eyes widened, shining the brightest blue in the world; surprise wiped all the words from his tongue, and he could only sit silently, pondering the words he'd just heard; looking up with a sudden hope, as though needing the words repeated, so he could be sure they were really his--so he could keep them in his memories, draw them out when he needed reminding...

His friends were all too happy to oblige.

"Yes, Naruto-kun!" Lee shouted suddenly, punching the air. "That is what is making us happy! The rest of the village can struggle through today thinking it is a day of regret, but we know better!"

"Really," Shikamaru said, leaning lazily against Chouji, "if we didn't care, we wouldn't be here."

"N-Naruto-kun," Hinata said, face on fire as she attempted a small smile, "happy birthday...!"

He continued to watch them for a bit; and then his gaze traveled over each of them as individuals, as though he was memorizing them in a few short seconds...his gaze fell on lastly Kiba, and then stopped on Sasuke, who was still staring at him unblinkingly.

How could they want to celebrate a day that so many others mourned? His existence didn't matter to most of the village: they wished his birth had never taken place...they would never celebrate it. And yet...

Here they were, his comrades, smiling and laughing, all there to celebrate his birth, to exult in the fact that he was alive; to express their joy that he was with them. It was something he'd never experienced before, something that he would never, ever forget...and while he may not have understood it, it only strengthened his resolve to protect them, all of them, no matter what the cost; to protect his precious people, the ones who meant so much to him, who would do things like this for him--small, but appreciated in a great way. They were his life, his reason for fighting on...

Naruto grazed the white icing with a finger delicately, leaving a soft gash in the cake, and brought the sweet-laden fingertip to his mouth, licking it clean. He smiled, a faint, happy blush spreading out under his eyes, and, to the delight of his comrades, he whispered, "It's good!"

Owari

A/N: Honestly, I don't know either, so don't ask. I originally intended it to be much, much longer: oh, well. I'm already a day late, and it's nearly midnight. I don't want to make it two days late. Gods. Please review, and _no flames!_


End file.
